Biography
Graduated in Civil Engineering for the Soil Defense and Geotechnical Engineering, in 1990 at the University of Calabria (Cosenza). Research activity always carried out in the field of Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering; from 1995 to 2003 as research fellow, from 2004 as researcher at Palermo University. University courses: Foundations (2005); Foundations and Retaining constructions from 2005; Geotechnics in the year 2009-2010 and In situ and Laboratory Soil Testing in the year 2010-2011. Author of 44 papers pertaining to the following main themes: fundamental aspects of the mechanical behaviour, under 1-D conditions, of carbonate sands at medium and high effective stresses and related crushing processes; influence of water on crushing of bioclastic sands; behaviour of barrettes under horizontal forces; effects of constituent minor details on the behaviour of shallow foundations; influence of constructive defect on the behaviour of socket piles in rock; influence of gaps on the behaviour of shallow tunnels; behaviour of quay walls.